Readers from other parts of the country liked the new format, and The Independent introduced it nationally. The Times and The Scotsman copied the format as The Independent increased sales.[when?]The Times and The Scotsman are now printed exclusively in compact format following trial periods during which both broadsheet and compact version were produced simultaneously. The Independent published its last paper edition on 20 March 2016 and now appears online only.

The term "compact" was coined in the 1970s by the Daily Mail when that newspaper moved to a tabloid format, although the Mail now calls itself a tabloid.[citation needed] "Compact" is used to differentiate newspapers with more traditional content from those with a flamboyant or salacious publishing style, even though they may share the same size. The functional opposite of compact is red top, as the nameplates of British sensationalist tabloids tend to be red.